1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for mounting a liquid crystal module, as a display device, which is mounted on a cover of a portable data terminal or information processing equipment, such as a laptop personal computer or a notebook-type personal computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a liquid crystal module 1 is mounted as a display device on a cover of a laptop personal computer, a notebook-type personal computer or the like. The module 1 is fixed on the cover by inserting screws 2 into screw-inserting portions 1b of the module 1, which are projected from right and left side ends of the liquid crystal module 1 outwardly and parallel to a display face 1a and then driving the screws 2 in fixing portions 3.
In the above-mentioned conventional liquid crystal module 1 fixed on the cover as described above, the area ratio of the display face 1a in the total area of the cover becomes small by the length that the screw-inserting portions 1b are projected outwardly from the side ends. For example, therefore, in the case that the size of the cover is restricted, it is difficult to adopt any liquid crystal module having a large display face. Alternatively, in the case that a liquid crystal module having a large display face is adopted, there arises a problem that the cover becomes large.
Moreover, in the conventional liquid crystal module, the screws are inserted from the display face side in the thickness direction of the cover. Therefore, this liquid crystal module has a problem that the thickness of the cover is decided by the length of the screws satisfying the fixing strength of the liquid crystal module so that the thickness of the cover unfavorably becomes large.
As shown in FIG. 2, therefore, in order to overcome the above-mentioned problem, there is used a liquid crystal module 1, in a side-mount style, whose right and left end faces have screw-fixing portions 4. In the side-mount style, the liquid crystal module 1 is arranged on a lower frame 5 in the state that a display face 1a faces upward, and screws 6 are inserted into through-holes 5a made in a side edge of the lower frame 5. The screws 6 are driven in the screw-fixing portions 4, so that the liquid crystal module 1 is fixed to the lower frame 5 with the screws 6. This causes an improvement about the width in the right and left direction of the cover and the thickness thereof, as compared with the prior art.
As shown in FIG. 3, however, in the liquid crystal module in the side-mount style, it is necessary to separate an outside frame 7 from a back light (B/L) portion 8 by the distance d for a space where the tips of the screws 6 are driven and inserted. Therefore, the width in the right and left directions of the liquid crystal module 1 becomes large, so as to cause a problem that the chassis of the laptop computer gets large. The area ratio of the display face 1a to the total area of the liquid crystal module 1 get s small by the space between the outside frame 7 and the B/L portion 8. Thus, in the case that the liquid crystal module 1 is mounted on the cover, there arises a problem that the area ratio of the display face 1a to the total area of the framework gets small.
As shown in FIG. 4, in the liquid crystal module in the side-mount style, it is necessary that the width D of the screw-fixing portion 4 in the thickness direction has not only the diameter r of the screw 6 but also a length for room, i.e., length (m1+m2). For this reason, the liquid crystal module cannot be made thinner than a given thickness.
Besides, in order to drive a liquid crystal device in the liquid crystal module in the side-mount style, it is necessary to form the screw-fixing portion to keep away from a driver IC (integrated circuit) mounted in the module. Thus, the flexibility of design becomes low. That is, signal lines of the driver IC cannot be laid out into a more appropriate form.
In the cover of the portable data terminal equipment on which a liquid crystal module in the side-mount style is mounted, through-holes through which screws penetrate are formed in parallel to its display face in its lower frame. In the process for producing it, therefore, a slide mold is necessary, so that costs for producing process rise.
In the portable data terminal equipment in the side-mount style, the screw-driving position is present on the end face of the cover. Accordingly, in the case that the liquid crystal module is put on and taken off, working efficiency thereof is lower than in the case that screws are driven from the display face side. Thus, there arises a problem that working efficiency of fabrication falls.
Furthermore, in the portable data terminal equipment in the side-mount style, the through-holes through which the screws penetrate are formed in the side edge having a narrow width. Thus, it is necessary to raise the strength of this side edge. When a metal having a high strength, such as magnesium alloy, is used as low material of the cover in order to improve the strength, costs for the low material rise. Processing efficiency of the molding step drops because of the improved strength. The weight of the cover also increases.
An object of the present invention is to provide a structure for mounting a liquid crystal module that makes it possible to make compact a cover of a portable data terminal or information processing equipment in which the liquid crystal module is mounted and built as a display unit, the cover being fitted to a body rotatably, and to improve working efficiency upon the assembly of the cover and simplify the production process thereof; and a portable data terminal or information processing equipment on which this structure is mounted.
The structure of a first aspect of the invention comprises a cover that covers at least one face of a body of a computer, and a rectangular liquid crystal module built in the cover, and which is for mounting the liquid crystal module of a portable data terminal equipment on the cover.
The structure comprises: a bottom plate which is put on the back side of a display face of the liquid crystal module, an outside frame which is put on the side of the display face of the liquid crystal module and has an opening from which the display face can be exposed, a projected portion for fitting the liquid crystal module between the bottom plate and the outside frame, the projected portion being made in at least one of upper and lower edges of the liquid crystal so as to be projected in the direction parallel to the display face, a through-hole which is formed in the projected portion and extends through the projected portion in the thickness direction of the liquid crystal module, and a connection portion which is formed in the bottom plate and the outside frame and connects the two through the through-hole.
In this liquid crystal module, the projected portion is formed in at least one of the upper and lower edges of the liquid crystal so as to be projected in the direction parallel to the display face, and the through-hole is formed in the projected portion to extend through the projected portion in the thickness direction of the liquid crystal module. The bottom plate and the outside frame are connected to each other through this through-hole, so that the liquid crystal module, the bottom plate and the outside frame are integrated with the cover of the body of the computer. It becomes unnecessary to make screw-fixing portions or the like at right and left edges of the liquid crystal module as seen in the side-mount style. For this reason, the width in the right and left direction of the liquid crystal module can be made small. It is also unnecessary that any screw-fixing portion is made at the side faces of the bottom plate and the outside frame, so that the width in the right and the left direction of the chassis can be made small. Moreover, it is unnecessary to make any screw-fixing portion, such as shown in FIG. 14, at the liquid crystal module, so that it is also unnecessary to lay out signal wiring of a driver IC to keep away from such a screw-fixing portion. Thus, it is possible to lay out the wiring in a form appropriate for liquid crystal display.
Therefore, the area ratio of the display face in the total area of the liquid crystal module gets large, so that the area ratio of the display face in the total area of the cover also gets large. This makes it possible to keep the display face larger even when the size of the cover is restricted. Alternatively, when the liquid crystal module whose display face is large is adopted, the cover can be made small. In such a manner, the size (including dimension of the external form and thickness) of the cover can be made small.
By connecting the liquid crystal module, the bottom plate and the outside frame through the through-hole made in the projected portion, it is possible to perform working from the side of the display face upon the assembly of the cover. This makes it possible to improve working efficiency.
Moreover, it is unnecessary that any screw-fixing portion is made at the end face of the cover as seen in the prior art. Accordingly, in the process for producing the bottom plate and the outside frame, it is unnecessary that these are molded with the upper and lower molds and subsequently the step of sliding the molds is performed. Thus, the number of the molding steps gets fewer. This makes it possible to improve working efficiency and simplify the producing process, thereby reducing producing costs.
When a notebook-type personal computer is kept in the state that it stands vertically in a bookshelf, it is desired that the height thereof is consistent with that of a document (for example, the long side of A4 size paper). That is, the width in the right and left direction of the chassis is restricted, and as the ratio of the display face is higher within this restriction, its screen is easy to see. In the side-mount style in the prior art, the ratio of the display face is restricted on the basis of the size necessary for fixing screws. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the width of the outside frame can be made short (thin) so that the ratio of the display face can be made higher. It is therefore possible to obtain a portable data terminal equipment wherein its screen is easy to see.
If the position where a screw member is tightened in the lower edge of the cover is set in a spatial area of a spot where a hinge metal member is fitted, the screw-tightening area does not get large. Thus, the cover does not get large. If the position where a screw member is tightened in the upper edge of the cover is set in a spatial area of a spot beside a hook for keeping the computer body and the cover in a closed state, the screw-tightening area does not get large. Thus, the cover does not get large.
Moreover, it is unnecessary that any screw-fixing portion is made at the end face of the cover, so that the bottom plate and the outside frame can be molded from a resin only by moving upper and lower molds in the vertical direction once. Thus, after the molding with the upper and lower molds, the step of sliding them is unnecessary, so that the number of the molding steps gets fewer. This makes it possible to simplify the producing process and reduce assembling costs.
The structure for mounting the liquid crystal module of a second aspect of the invention is the structure according to the first aspect, wherein a reinforcing member is fitted to the liquid crystal module along its edge and the projected portion is formed in the reinforcing member.
In this structure for mounting-the liquid crystal module, the reinforcing member is formed in the liquid crystal module along its edge and the projected portion is formed in the reinforcing member. In this way, the liquid crystal module is connected to the bottom plate and the outside frame, so that the rigidity in the face direction of the liquid crystal can be made high.
The structure for mounting the liquid crystal module of a third aspect of the invention is the structure according to the first or the second aspect, wherein either one of the upper and lower edges of the liquid crystal module is sandwiched between the bottom plate and the outside frame to be fixed.
In this structure for mounting the liquid crystal module, either one of the upper and lower edges of the liquid crystal module is put between the bottom plate and the outside frame to be fixed. In this way, positions where connection portions are made are reduced by half, so that areas where they are made are reduced. Thus, the chassis can be made smaller.
The structure for mounting the liquid crystal module of a fourth aspect of the invention is the structure according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the connection portion has a projected portion that is disposed at one of the bottom plate and the outside frame and fitted into the through-hole, and a connection portion that is disposed at the other of the bottom plate and the outside frame and is connected to the projected portion.
In this structure for mounting the liquid crystal module, the liquid crystal module is engaged with the projected portion upon the assembly of the cover. In this way, it becomes easy to fit the position of the liquid crystal module to the bottom plate. Thus, working efficiency can be improved.
The structure for mounting the liquid crystal module of a fifth aspect of the invention is the structure according to any one of first to fourth aspects, which comprises a screw member that is inserted from either one of the bottom plate and the outside frame so as to be tightened to the other.
In this structure for mounting the liquid crystal module, the screw member can be tightened from the display face side of the liquid crystal module upon the assembly of the cover. Thus, working efficiency can be improved. If the hinge member is also fixed with the screw member, the number of the assembly steps gets fewer to improve working efficiency. Moreover, the strength of a portion for fixing the hinge member is heightened, and the hinge portion cannot easily be broken even when forcible opening and shutting are performed.
The portable data terminal equipment of a sixth aspect of the invention is a portable data terminal equipment wherein a liquid crystal module is mounted on the cover by means of the structure for mounting the liquid crystal module according to any one of the first to fifth aspects.
This portable data terminal equipment, itself, including the cover can be made compact by making the cover compact. Moreover, it is possible to improve working efficiency in the production process and simplify the production process. In this way, production costs can be reduced.